Neurosci Res. 1989 Oct; 7(1): 24-32.

Effect of diazepam on electroacupuncture-induced changes in regional gamma-aminobutyric acid of the rat central nervous system.

Chakrabarti S, Poddar MK.

Department of Biochemistry, University of Calcutta, India.

Electroacupuncture-induced analgesia (EAA), as assessed in terms of tail flick latency in adult male albino rats, was reduced or completely withdrawn by co-treatment of diazepam with electroacupuncture (EA) (10 Hz, 1 volt), although diazepam (5-20 mg/kg, i.p.) alone had no analgesic effect. Further, it was found that only the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system of thalamus and pons-medulla regions were involved in EAA. The EA-induced inhibition of GABAergic activity in the thalamus and pons-medulla was disinhibited when diazepam was pre-administered to rats treated with a single EA and reduced the EAA.